Almost too embarrassed to show these welds!

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I like to blame it on me being a newbie, this is the first time I picked up a MIG.Parameters:Lincoln 100 weld pak,(bought used)  with MIG attachments; GAS Argon 75% CO2 25%WIRE 0.030 inch  Voltage switch ; set to  "C" wire feed rate; 2 or 2.5.Right handed, I ahve the gun angled to the right as I am welding, I do not have it straight up and down (perpindicular)ATTEMPTED to bead / weld 16 gauger steel, (I was told it was not stainless steel, and believe that.)Having the sheet of metal that I am welding resting on a board.The machine is plugged into a 20 foot long heavy gauge  extension cord.For the life of me, I cannot create a burn-through on this metal!!When I weld, I can barely see the work area that I am welding, with a 10 filter ( I better check that filter value, but came standard with the welder)My weld looks like  a line of lumpy solder!!!!  Ok, no Laughing, ...well, just a little is fine   Picture is not the best, ( I cant get closer)  but especially in the upper right hand of the pic, you can get a better idea of the elevated bead line.This is a pic of the back of the plate, showing at least a little melting of the metal, which I am happy to see, but it is not enough.      What is going on?  I am not melting the metal enough to create a nice pool of metal to which the wire will add it's own. I have no idea what I am doing wrong.   I have tried to reduce my travel speed, but all that happens is the blob of metal gets bigger... I then try to reduce the wire feed, but still does not help.Worked on it for about 40 min, then had to stop for the day  What is so frustrating is that I use to use a torch about 15 years ago, and was quite good at it; made some very nice welds. Now this lumpy solder bead is what I am getting.. Am I missing something??  all I can say is I am glad you guys are here to help!I hope it is me and not the welder anyway!Thanks in advanceMatt
Reply:Don't be embarrassed, everybody starts somewhere.  Keep practicing.  I forget the settings on the Lincolns so I can't help you with what to set it at.  But inside the Lincoln wirefeeders is usually a chart that shows what the setting should be for certain wire with whatever thickness material.Can you get a better closeup shot of that?  I can't really tell what it looks like so I can't give you any suggestions.
Reply:When I try for closer pics, they just get blurry, maybe I'll try a different angle....  I have followed what is recommended on the Lincoln, but still no success.I would be happy to see a burn through!  Matt
Reply:Keep going and get off a wooden table.. You have the basics down...Practice on something steel before you burn yourself down......zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Looks like a good start.  More practice.  I think the heat is about right because of the back side. Just practice more.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Some more pics....                                   Looks like landscape!I beleive that the welds should be flat, and able to readily pierce the metal.  Again, my end attempts were to try a  burn through...Once I get that I can back off on the settings and or increase my movement across the metal.So it seems that you do not beleive I got a bum welder ?THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!Matt   - I'm the bum(Why can't I get the welds "down" further into the metal?I'l keep trying and keep you posted!)Last edited by Mr matt; 08-26-2007 at 09:33 PM.
Reply:It hard to tell from your pics but it doest look that bad.  You're getting plenty of penetration for stringer beads on sheet metal. If you running the same heat on a butt weld of that thickness metal without a backer it would burning through. .023 wire will be easier to work with on thin metal.
Reply:I'm wondering if I got a bum welder ?
Reply:You might want to get some thicker metal to practice on. Once you're doing well on 1/8" or a little thinner then go back and give sheet metal a try.
Reply:Originally Posted by Mr matt(Why can't I get the welds "down" further into the metal?
Reply:Originally Posted by tresiYou might want to get some thicker metal to practice on. Once you're doing well on 1/8" or a little thinner then go back and give sheet metal a try.
Reply:16g is not a good practice material for a new welder.  I've seen 30 year veteran welders fail miserably trying to weld 16g.  1/8" is probably the best to start with.
Reply:Those look fine enough for practice. Remember if you ant those to get wet and flatten out like you used to with O/A it ain't gonna happen. Not with .030 solid wire and gas on that size of machine.  Yes you should be able to burn through, just crank it up if that's what your goal is. With that size of machine and on a flat surface you'll get a spot about half the size of a dime then it'll drop out and you'll have your hole you wanted.   Or try it on a corner with poor fit-up and you'll be cussing wishing you could stop the burn through.  Personally for that .060 thickness a little blistering on the back is about the most you'd normally want. We're talking sheet metal here. With sheet metal you have to also worry about creating a tear line.
Reply:Are you welding in your kitchen? that´s good for a begginer...play play play!My Babies: HF Drill pressHF Pipe Bender3   4.5" Black and Decker angle grindersLincoln Electric PROMIG 175that´s it!
Reply:Like Sandy said, you're not going to get the flat beads with what you're doing. With O/A you're adding the correct amount of filler as you go. With Mig your filler is also your heat source. On a joint some of that filler will go into the joint. You're on flat plate with nowhere for the wire to go but up. Try a couple bevel or butt joints with the same settings and you'll see, you'll have your burn through. Keep practicing, you're doing alright.Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:I was thinking...if you welded with OA years ago, why not try it again? If you pick up where you left off, you will develop good skills that will translate to tig welding. Keep practicing though!City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by zapster                Keep going and get off a wooden table.. You have the basics down...             Practice on something steel before you burn yourself down......zap!
Reply:Originally Posted by tanglediverI was thinking...if you welded with OA years ago, why not try it again? If you pick up where you left off, you will develop good skills that will translate to tig welding. Keep practicing though!
Reply:Glad you have a sence of humor Mr. matt ...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Try it without the extension cord.  With the outlets at my house, night and day difference.
Reply:Originally Posted by tresiIt hard to tell from your pics but it doest look that bad.  You're getting plenty of penetration for stringer beads on sheet metal.
Reply:Originally Posted by SupeTry it without the extension cord.  With the outlets at my house, night and day difference.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapster   Glad you have a sence of humor Mr. matt ...zap!
Reply:Here is a little education for you.Voltage controls the width and penetration, increasing voltage results in less penetration and a wider bead.  Decreasing voltage results in a narrow bead with deep penetration.Wire Feed Speed controls deposition rate and penetration.  Increasing wire feed speed causes deeper penetration, increased deposition.  Decreasing your WFS will cause less penetration and reduce the deposition rate.Gun angle has more effect on quality and penetration than do voltage or WFS assuming they are help constant.  Push angle between 2 and 30 degrees reduces penetration.  Drag angle increases penetration.  Push for GMAW and drag for FCAWTravel speed effect penetration and size of weld bead.  To slow a travel speed decreases penetration and increases the size of the weld.  As travel speed increases the penetration deepens, as it continues to increase penetration will then decrease as the current acting on the base metal is moved faster than it can act on the base metal.These are some very basic principles.  All of these variables also perform other functions but that is all I have time for now.Nobody's perfect, I'm a nobody, therefore I am perfect!